Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-06-04
WHOLE NO. 1922.

which they were reared, and travellers stand
9nerying IN the presence of these vast
piles as to the intent of such vast expeu-
diture of treasure, OF time and of labor.
Greece was once fiiiei with the treasures
of her art, having chiseled in marble or
wrought in metal the grandest ideas that
originated in the minds OF her wise and
great; but now the fragments of her art
that remain tell US only of what we may
have LOST while India and China, having
crystalli2ed the thoughts 0f their sages in
words written with the pen, bring forth to-
day the treasures OF the past, fresh with
the dew and bloom of an immortal youth.
As letters are more enduring than works
oi art, so are rites and ceremonies more
permanent and fresh than the richest ma
terlal monument a nations wealth could
rear.
The rite that Abraham received before
the city of Babylon became famous, re-
mains to-day as fresh and significant
among his descendants as when he made
Isbmael its first subject.
The great sacrament of Christianity re-
mains to-day as fresh as when our Savior
said, = This do in remembrance Of me-"
Nothing then could be made appropriate
TO render the deeds we so much admire,
matter of permanent and fresh remem-
hrance, than ceremony so significant of
favor as the strewing of the graves of our
heroes with the flowers of each returning
spring.
It is also the most democratic and i'm
partial method we could devise 10 express
our appreciation. The graves of officers,
of rich and poor, are alike made the OBJ
Jects OF our attention. The grassy mound
whether overshadowed with monumental
| marble, or simply marked with molding
board, receives the fresh tribute of fra
grant flowers. These flowers, too, that I'M
| fold an equal splendor, 10 the ewes o:' the
poor and of the rich, that generously sour
| their incense upon the air for all WhO ap-
| proach, are the fittest emblems 10 be placed
| upon the dumb mounds of our departed,
as exponepts of the democracy of our
| love.
| At each annual return of this day let us
strew the grass with flowers of richest hue,
and as we inhale the air they perfume
| think of the fragrant memories of those
| whose lives were exhaled like the odors of
| spring TO revive nation recovering from
| the torpOr and chill of the most wintery
| oppression that ever arrested the growth,
| or dimmed the glory of any people. And
let the day be kept sacred to the memory
| of our soldier dead. We have 364 days in
which we can show special attention to the
| graves of our civilian friends; but the
| Grand Army has asked for but q single day
in all the year. Let the flowers OF this
| special day be reserved for soldiers graves,
and let us not be compelled to streE upon
them the faded remnants that remain after
family graves have received the best AS
comrades we have friends who fill a civil
ian's grave whose memory is dear to US,
but on this day we reserve our floral trib-
utes for those who fought and bled to save
| our Union. The disposition 70 seize upon
this special day for the adOrning of family
graves speaks more of family conceit
than of patriots love.
To me this is day of proud, but sad
commemoration. Transported upon the
wings of memory, l am again amid the
| scenes of carnage where peace was pur-
chased at the price of blood Vicksburg
hills are terraced and mined, and besieging
| and besieged are IN hot dispute. Shot and
| shell keep up a continual scream and war,
and amid the lull | hear the shout of com
| manders and then follows the responsive
yell of the deadly charge. Friend and foe
grapple in the deadly encounter and clash
| of bayonet aud sword alone are heard.
| Through the smoke that fingers DER the
scene ! see the stars of our banner but
dimly shine, and the red stripes reflect tbs
| rivulets of blood that flow beneath bat
| upward and onward is il borne till it floats
over every rampant of the foe, and the
great artery of our inland commerce is
| opened from ItaSca on the north TO the
Gulf on the south.
But listen, hear again the sullen boom
Of the great gun on Lookout Point, as il
projects its shells into the city Chattanooga
see the commanding forces draw their
lines closer, and closer, at the base OF the
mountain. Then suddenly there bursts
upon the air the crash and danger OF battle
that ceases not with the shades of night.
All along the face of the mountain the
battle RACES fiercer and tiercer. rising higher
and higher, till all the forces gather about
its crest. Amid the clouds and darkness
the battle RACES throughout the night
The defenders are stubborn, the be
siegers are desperate. The blaze of
their guns alone reveal their position
and their strength but veterans are at the
! front, and only when the CLEAN of the en-
| emy's voileys are seen DO they send their
| deadly response beneath the fiery belt. Re
peated charges are made. bat with deadly
elect to the charging.
The night of horrors ends at last and
| when the rising sun sends its first gieam
across Mission Ridge, the flag of our Union
| Is ffOailng from the promontory that looks
down on four States restored to Union
that shall never end.
Onward sweeps the tide Of battle, surg
ing up the slope of Mission Ridge, stream.
| ing over every rampant like tidal wave,
till the enemy, driven in confusion, strew
the ground with guns, knspsscks, belts,
cartridge boxes and every incum mberine
! weight. Onward the flying host is pursued.
till at Ringgold Gap they make stands
and bravely retrieve their failure at Mission
Ridge, while our hosts are thinned with ar
tillery blasts and enfilading fires that check
our wild advance. hear again the shrieks
and means of Ringgold Gap; / hear, too,
the wild cry of agony Oh Iuscumbias roll
ing hills, and out from the shadows of
prison pens | hear again the pitiful wall OF
the despairing captive; but these are now
like the figments of a troublesome dream,
as the favored sleeper wakes to an auspici-
| ous morn.
Long may we enjoy the pesce that comes
OF one country, one Constitution, and one
flag; but are we not one people, in blood,
and language and aim? And ever green
be the graves of those whose lives were
given to perpetuate Union the most
natural, possible, and worthy.
In the Sick Room.